91èÏÈÉú

From the desk of Brian Nelson, Academic Dean:

One of my major projects this year was preparing and coordinating our school’s accreditation visit.  During this visit, a team of experienced educators spent two days reviewing our documentation, pouring over a large collection of artifacts, visiting classrooms, and interviewing panels of students, parents, board members, staff members, teachers, and administrators.  It is a very thorough process to say the least.  This process is a voluntary way for our school to ensure that we are doing all that we can do to support student success.  For 91èÏÈÉú, it is part of how we make certain that we are continuing to improve and providing an excellent education.

While preparing for the visit was cumbersome and stressful at times, hosting an external review was a great way for our school to receive feedback from an outside group.  I am happy to report that after spending two days at 91èÏÈÉú, the team was blown away!  I received so many compliments regarding our community, culture, facilities, and mission.  It was affirming and encouraging that outside eyes saw excellence at 91èÏÈÉú.  More than that, they felt God’s presence and recognized the impact of our school’s mission.  It was a HUGE success.

In the end, 91èÏÈÉú was recommended and approved for re-accreditation.  However, for me, this is does not accurately communicate what the team experienced at 91èÏÈÉú.  To help share their experience, I have included quotes from 91èÏÈÉú’s official external review report.  As you will see, 91èÏÈÉú is a place like no other!

Excerpts from 91èÏÈÉú’s External Review Report

There was a palpable sense of joy at 91èÏÈÉú. Students and teachers were actively engaged in conversations about content and skills. High expectations were quite evident to the External Review Team members, and the application of higher order thinking skills was reflected in the teacher’s questions. The vocabulary used by teachers and students was very sophisticated, and students clearly articulated their understanding of the content being delivered.

The high rating in the well-managed learning environment can be directly tied to the culture of respect that permeates the entire campus. Students took risks without fear of failure, and peers encouraged each other when seeking answers. 91èÏÈÉú provides a rigorous curriculum that is delivered by highly qualified educators.

During classroom observations and in discussions with the faculty and staff during interviews, it was determined that a great deal of time and energy is spent in successfully providing a safe and motivating learning environment. Students used the word “confident” to describe what 91èÏÈÉú does for them. Students stated that they were confident that they were prepared academically for the next level. Perhaps even more importantly, seniors stated they were confident in who they were as individuals and confident that they had the tools to help them make wise choices at the college level.

School leadership employs staff that is committed to the culture of shared values that support the mission of the school. This strong commitment was evident during all stakeholder interviews and by the materials displayed throughout the campus. It was very evident to the External Review Team members that the culture of excellence in education based upon a foundation of Christian principles was the basis for all decisions.

I am proud to be part of an amazing community with an eternal mission!